Just picked up my first tent, any marketing ideas?

[FrogKnowledge]

This week I set up my first tent in a napa auto parts parking lot right on a main street lots of traffic and easy access.

So I got the tent up and the banners but I am looking for something different all these other tent guys just sit their reading their books or on the cell phones.

I want to do promotions or a give away to attract more people. My theory is we don't usually just cruz the streets with nothing to do, right. Were going places picking up the kids, the dry cleaning paying bills etc. So what can we do to get their attention and make them stop what their doing and drop in.

Any Ideas?

[Brent Deines]

One of the tent operators here in Eugene used to take a hand held sign and get right out by the traffic, waiving the sign and dancing around. While I admit this would not be something I would be comfortable doing, he told me he picked up an extra 2+ repairs a day by doing so and it helped to pass the time. I don't recall what his sign said, but it did get your attention as you were driving by. Some would say what he did was silly, but being silly was earning him an extra $100 every day.

I have always thought it would be good to advertise discount coupons for the closest retailers. If it's a NAPA store maybe they would be willing to trade you some coupons. Every customer you talk to gets a NAPA discount coupon or gift certificate, and every customer NAPA talks to gets a discount coupon or gift certificate for your business. I don't know that what you offer is as important as the fact that you get their attention. The malls here offer gift certificates that can be used anywhere in the mall, so people love to get those. Starbucks and Dutch Brothers gift certificates are also very popular.

Sandwich boards, flashing lights, or anything else you can do to draw attention to your service will help, but you need to check local laws before getting too crazy.

[Clarity Glass]

A location where the person/family can be accomplishing their errands will increase your business without promos. Winter's coming ..coffee cards, grocery store cards, free rain repellant application. Also do you advertise mobile service? Do you ask for referrals? I don't have the competition you have in Utah.. Personally, I will be promoting windshield clarity inside/out, rain repellant, and headlight restoration. All these services improve driving vision. Windshied repair is a single service...by providing additional services you appeal to a greater population.

[urbestbuys]

This is my first post but I check the forum regularly. This item I know a little about. I was a Novus windshield repairman years ago and then followed a new venture. Now I am back in WSR with Delta. I am retired and my wife and I travel in our RV and pull a small trailer with a 6' x 9' frame on the outside. This is what we place our banner's on, one facing each way. When we set up I park the trailer as close to the street as possible. Also location is the most important. Try to get as close to the most popular grocery store, Wal Mart, or anyplace most of the people in town go. Get on a corner of 2 main cross streets for max exposure. Keep your site clean and neat. Look like a professional not a gypsy. We have logo shirts,jackets and caps, with signs on our vehicle so no matter where we go we are advertising. People stop me all the time and ask about our service. This is all we do in our business. We don't call on car lots,fleets, or anything else. Just street side set up and not always a tent. As I said we travel from town to town in our RV and usually the first day is not that good, but the next day or so is very good. I gross between $200 and $600 a day. Each town is different due to the economy in that area. If its bad we just move on. We don't work every day due to travel, events we attend ,weather,and we don't work on Sunday, but when we work we make good money. If I am in a good area I seldom get to sit down and rest the entire day. My wife takes care of the invoices and collects the money. We take checks, cash, or credit cards. Treat this like a business and you will make money.

[GLASSTIME]

We have a site we set up at every week, right now its only Fridays!
This site is a Car Custom, Radios, Window Tinting, Wheels, Hydraulics, Lift Kits they sell all that good stuff!

I use to RED caution lights that we plug into the parking lot overhang light. Our banners are white BG w/ Red writing.
We have coupons inside his store and I have coupons out with me. So we basically give away each others coupons to clients.

So far this tactic is working. However we like change so eventually we will add something else or just improve our current system!

I actually have thought about the dancing around thing. There is a lady that can make us a suit here. I was thinking something like a big Windshield Suit, Although I wouldnt be the one clowning it out!!!!

I love that idea!!!